Traffic danger

11:16am Thursday 1st May 2008

WE would like to bring to the attention of residents living in the Laverton Road area of Westbury the proposals to restrict parking along the length of Laverton Road and the Canac link road.

Westbury Town Council objected to the proposal and fully supported the existing parking arrangements in Laverton Road on the grounds of safety and the lack of adequate or alternative parking for residents.

The 30 mph speed limit along Laverton Road is frequently ignored, as it may well be in the Canac link road, but the presence of parked cars does give an element of traffic calming which will be lost if parking restrictions are enforced.

The residents of Laverton Road have asked WCC which streets they are proposing are used for parking if restrictions are enforced and we await their response.

Those residents with young children will be very aware that the pavement at the Elkins garage end of Laverton Road/Westbury Leigh narrows considerably, making crossing the road with a pushchair and toddler, or for those who use a wheelchair, very difficult and dangerous. With the new parking restrictions in place there will be an inevitable increase in speeding traffic making these streets more dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles alike.

Laverton Road is an unclassified road and as such was never designed to be the distributor road which WCC now state that it is. There are many families living in the area who can safely use the pavement along this narrow road as the presence of parked cars allows an element of safety, which will be removed if this proposal is allowed to be implemented, making the road a speed track for vehicles who will not have the parked cars to slow them down.

Large lorries which already use Laverton Road cannot pass each other without mounting the pavement but at least now with parked cars the drivers are forced to "give way". If this safety net were removed the risk to pedestrians would be unacceptable.

If you live in an area which may be affected by this proposal and are concerned re the possible impact on your street or your family's safety then we urge you to write to Cllr Fleur De Rhe Philipe or to WCC and object on the grounds of road and personal safety.

RESIDENTS OF LAVERTON ROAD, WESTBURY